The Most Dangerous
by Monkeybarrel
Summary: (Wild Adapter one-shot) Although Kubota could not refuse the game, he could still play by his own rules.


Disclaimer: Minekura owns all that is Wild Adapter

Warning: Language

Notes: Written for a challenge last winter, the theme being "games". The idea for this story is influenced by Richard Connell's short story, "The Most Dangerous Game". Although I read it back in high school, it's still one of my favorites. Feedback is always appreciated, and thank you. :)

-------------

**The Most Dangerous**

Even though he noticed the black car following him two blocks earlier, he maintained his normal walking pace. And when the car pulled up next to him, he did not stop, not until someone from inside it called out to him.

"Beautiful day, isn't it?" An older man, his graying hair smoothed back from his forehead, looked out from the backseat.

Kubota looked up at the sky, and the falling rain hit his glasses, blurring his vision. He took them off and began to clean them on the inside of his shirt. "Maybe for the flowers, it is."

"Well then, perhaps I could offer you a lift to wherever you are going?" The man smiled and waved his hand to the inside of the vehicle.

"Ah," Kubota bowed his head. "Thank you for your kindness, but I shall have to refuse. Where I am going is only just up ahead, and I would only get your car wet." He pointed to his damp coat, and smiling, turned away.

"A little rain would not be bad." The car continued to follow slowly along the sidewalk. "In fact-" It stopped a few paces ahead of him. The driver's side door opened, and a man in a fine black suit stepped out and moved in front of him. "I think I will insist that you ride with me, Kubota-kun."

Kubota turned from the driver to the man in the car. His expression was all smiles and ease, as if this offer had nothing to be suspicious of. I'm seen you before though, Kubota thought, on some poster in grade school, of some old man holding out a lollipop in front of him, and scissors behind. "Don't talk to strangers," it warned.

But he wasn't in grade school anymore, and he knew to carry his own scissors now. "Then I will have to impose on your kindness."

The driver opened the back door for him, and the next moment, he listened as the rain hit the roof of the car. As they drove down the street, they passed his stop, but Kubota did not tell them. Instead he sat back, refused the offer of cigarettes, and waited. It did not take long.

"I have been told that you are quite the game player." The man took out a cigarette from a slim silver case and lit it. "And it just so happens, so am I."

------

"Of course, you can refuse." He smiled that same relaxed smile, but Kubota did not return the look. "You always have a choice, you know. I am a charitable man after all."

"Yes, that's quite clear." Kubota looked away from the gun pointed at him to the window, and the outside silently moving by, the glass streaked with tiny rivers. There were obviously two choices. Refuse and die now, in this car. Or accept, and die later.

"What do you say, Kubota-kun? Are you game?" The man grinned, his eyebrows raised in anticipation.

"So…" Tough choice indeed. "What are the rules?"

------

_"You may choose the jungle, but I will choose our weapons."_

With empty hands and empty pockets, he stepped out of the car.

_"What is my weapon then?"_

His gun was gone, as were his phone and his wallet, all still lying on the backseat.

_"Your weapon is one phone call."_

Kubota reached the payphone across the street and picked up the receiver.

_"Well, could you spare a poor boy a couple yen?"_

As he started to dial, he looked down at his watch.

_"And to show you just how charitable I am, Kubota-kun, you shall have an hour head start."_

59 more minutes.

_"Now, is that not nice?"_

"Truly the god of mercy, you are," Kubota muttered as he listened to the phone ring on the other side. After the fifth time, someone picked up.

"Hello? Kou-san? It's me, Kubota."

58 minutes.

-------

As he watched Kubota put down the phone and start to walk down the street, he could not contain his excitement. And here he had thought that Sanada was trying to pull a fast one over on him, telling him that his most perfect game was enclosed in this tall, skinny boy. He clapped his hands and laughed. An hour could not pass quick enough.

A knock on the window woke him from his reverie, and he rolled it down and looked out. The leader of the Izumo gang looked back at him. The black umbrella that his assistant held kept the rain from falling onto his fine suit.

Speak of the devil- "You were right," He bobbed his head, still smiling. "He agreed."

"Just as anyone in the same position would, I suppose." Sanada held out his hand. "May I have it?"

He dropped Kubota's cell phone into his palm. "These things always confuse me, with all their noise and buttons."

"Well, you could say that I," Sanada smiled as he turned on the phone, "am quite adept at button pushing."

------

He knew he was awake. But what Tokitoh wasn't quite sure about was why. He went from dreaming to suddenly staring at the ceiling, feeling completely confused. He rubbed his eyes with his hand, the fur scratching at his skin. What time was it?

He turned to look at the clock by the bed, and it was then that he saw what had woken him. His phone blinked with a new message. He picked it up and looked at the screen.

"A text message…from Kubo-chan. What the hell?"

As his finger pressed "receive", the phone, the one in the apartment, rang. He rolled his eyes as he got out of bed. "Can't a guy get any sleep around here?"

He walked to the living room and picked up on the third ring. As he cradled the receiver between his head and shoulder, he looked down at his cell phone and its latest message. "Hello?"

"Tokitoh-kun?"

"Ah, fuck, it's you." He wanted to hang up. "Look, Kubo-chan's not here."

"I know. I talked to him just a moment ago."

"Why, is he there?"

"No, but he will be soon."

"What? Is there another delivery?" Tokitoh started to read the message. "What the fuck?"

"Excuse me?"

"Not you. Kubo-chan sent me some weird ass message."

"…I see. May I ask what he says?"

"Just 'meet me at the Kanteibyo Temple in Chinatown in one hour.' Whatever that means."

"Tokitoh-kun," Kou started. "Kubota has another request for you too. For both of us."

"Huh?" He was fully awake now. There was something in Kou's voice that seemed strange, strained almost. "Whaddya mean? What's going on? Where's Kubo-chan?"

"I am not quite sure." He paused, and Tokitoh heard him sigh. "But I think he- we, are all involved."

-----

_"Kou-san, I need to ask you a favor, and I don't have much time, so please, no questions."_

After he lost sight of the car, he broke into a run.

_"…Very well."_

He could hear the train coming as he ran down the steps into the station, and inwardly, he thought there must be a god of mercy out there. He jumped the turnstile without looking back and dove onto the train just as the doors were closing. Someone was shouting behind the glass, but a second later, the train pulled out, and they were gone.

Although his hand was in his pocket, he could still somehow hear his watching ticking away.

45 minutes.

-----

"The Kanteibyo Temple…that is right in the middle of things, isn't it?"

After hanging up the phone, Kou began to rummage around his shop for everything he needed. The fireworks were stashed in the back, whatever had been left unsold after New Year's. The "Chinese cooking pots" were stored beneath his counter. Out of habit, his hand reached for a sheet of newspaper to wrap the gun with, but then he remembered that time counted more than anything else in this "game", and wasting precious seconds on unwrapping it could mean their loss. He opened the chamber and noticed it empty. He would have to rectify this as well.

He packed up everything and left, checking the clock before he stepped out. Ten minutes had passed since Kubota's call. Outside his shop, the rain welcomed him, and he frowned, realizing that he would have to find a dry spot in the middle of Chinatown for this to work.

He sighed and began to walk down the street, cradling the bags.

These boys had a way of keeping him distracted from his shop…

------

_"So what will be your jungle, Kubota-kun?"_

The streets were remarkably not busy for an afternoon in Chinatown, but then it was not the weekend. The falling rain also had its own power in deterring people from going outside. Kubota didn't know if the fewer crowds were more good than bad. He leaned against the wall and watched those who were walking about, crossing the narrow streets, entering shops. Mothers with young children, older woman, delivery men- none of them paid him any attention. Only one person watched him right now, but that was all he was doing.

He looked down at his watch. Seven more minutes.

He kept himself busy and looked at the different storefronts, their awnings and booths covered in bright tapestries and lanterns. He lingered at a fruit stand, his hand falling on a small cart of bananas set out on the sidewalk. When the stand's owner turned away, he snapped off one banana from a bunch and walked off, slipping the fruit into his pocket.

He was about to check his watch again when something moved into his field of vision. He looked straight ahead and watched as a familiar figure walked up to the steps of the temple that was the centerpiece of Chinatown. Kubota stood a ways off so he could watch Tokitoh without him noticing. Tokitoh was carrying two small brown bags, and when he reached the bottom of the steps that led up to the temple, he sat down. After placing one bag next to him, he opened the other, pulled one meat bun out, and started to eat.

"I love how you can't wait." He smiled and started to walk slowly over, still watching. He kept his face expressionless as he saw another figure move past Tokitoh up the steps. Kou's long robes did a masterful job of blocking the view as he walked.

"Looks like all the pieces are in play now."

He didn't check his watch as he walked. He didn't need to anymore.

------

_"You've told me what my weapon is, but if I may ask, what will yours be, Sir?"_

_"Oho, there's no fun in sharing that too early, my boy. But I will say this-"_

"It is the most dangerous."

He watched from where he sat as Kubota walked along the sidewalk across the street, looking at the shops. He frowned at the boy's easy pace. If he didn't know any better, he would think that Kubota wasn't playing for life or death at all, that this was just any other day, and any other stroll downtown.

"I'm a little disappointed, Sanada." He turned to the man next to him. "I thought I would get a little more chase than this. Here it looks like that in," he checked his pocket watch, "five minutes, I can just walk over there and finish him off and still have time for tea."

"Not everything is as it appears." Sanada, breathing out a thin line of smoke, seemed as relaxed as Kubota. "Besides, you asked for a challenge. If it's the same old 'run and shoot', where's the excitement in that?"

"Hmpf." He was not convinced, and this whole scene displeased him very much. Not to mention that their weapon hadn't even arrived yet. He watched Kubota take a banana from the fruit stall and hide it in his pocket. "I'm beginning to think you've given me a poor game."

"I suppose we won't know how poor it is until it's over with, hm?" Sanada pointed past him. "It's here."

He turned and at first didn't know what he was supposed to look at, but then he caught sight of something a little different from the rest of the afternoon shopping scene. He watched a young man walk purposely to the steps of the nearby temple, sit down, and begin eating what looked like some kind of bread.

"That's it?"

"Yes. And it looks like we're not the only ones to notice."

He turned to see Kubota start to head towards the temple.

"What is the time?" Sanada asked.

He stood up from the bench. "It's almost time for tea."

------

_"He said this is the most important thing for you to do."_

Tokitoh didn't know what the hell was going on, but he had to keep all his anger and questions inside since the person he most wanted to unleash it on wasn't there.

Instead, as he got off the train and walked towards the gate into Chinatown, he planned his payback, and not too quietly either.

"He is so buying a good dinner tonight!" He stomped though the gate, his hands stuffed into his pockets. "None of this curry shit. No fucking way!"

He ignored the stares from the others around him, and kept walking until he found what he was looking for. When he reached the meat bun stall, he stood and stared at all the rolls lined up in front.

"Looking for something in particular, young man?" The stall owner asked brightly.

"Yeah…" The most important thing I can do…whatever the hell that means.

He pointed at the pork buns. "I need four of those, and they gotta be in two bags."

As he walked towards the center of Chinatown, holding both bags in his arms, his anger stewed more.

"If you think I'm gonna wait for you before I eat mine," he stormed across the street, "you're so wrong."

------

So busy in his eating, Tokitoh-kun did not even look up as he walked by. Bending over just slightly, he took the one bag next to the boy and put down his own in its place. Less than a second and it was over. He walked up the steps to the temple, the bag of meat buns warm in his hands.

The rain kept away most of the touristing pilgrims, leaving the temple front mostly clear. It was better for him, although the wet weather could make things more difficult for his plan. He stepped through the tall, red gates that made up Kanteibyo's entrance. Turning around, he searched for a place that he could both hold a view of the steps and Tokitoh-kun, as well as find a dry spot for his own work.

When he looked down, he saw a familiar tall figure walk up towards the steps. With his hands in his pockets, Kubota-kun appeared calm and relaxed. He picked up the bag that Kou had left and sat down next to Tokitoh-kun.

Looking past them, he caught sight of another figure moving towards the temple, an older man in a long black coat, his hands also in his pockets. His gaze seemed to be on the two boys.

Kou's hand fell on one of the gate's posts, and as he watched the man draw closer, he spoke a silent prayer.

------

Tokitoh hid none of his anger. "You're late."

"Really?" Kubota held the bag in his hands and felt the metal through the paper. "I think I'm right on time."

"When I say you're late, you're late!"

"Fair enough." He nodded towards the half-eaten meat bun in Tokitoh's hand. "Can I have a bite?"

"Hey, you've got your own." He pointed accusingly to the bag.

"True." Kubota frowned down at it. "But I bet yours taste better."

"Why? They're all the same."

Kubota took Tokitoh's hand that held the bun, raised it up, and took a bite of the bread. "But yours has more spice."

"…Idiot." Tokitoh glowered back at him, his cheeks turning as red as the meat in the bun.

He was about to take another bite when a shadow fell across them. He looked up to see the man who he had only met an hour before standing at the edge of the steps.

He let go of Tokitoh's arm. "I guess this means time's up."

The man's earlier smile was gone, replaced by look of annoyance. "For someone as highly regarded as you, Kubota-kun, I expected a little more than this."

"I always disappoint." Kubota shrugged. "I would say 'just ask my parents' but they don't talk to me anymore. They're so disappointed."

The man didn't seem to like his joke. He felt a nudge at his side. "Who is this weirdo?" Tokitoh asked.

"Just a stranger." He looked back at the man. "So, is there an end to this game, or do we continue to the next round?"

"No, this is most definitely the end." The man sighed regretfully. "I really hoped for more from you, especially after going to the trouble of procuring my weapon."

"That was very clever of you." Kubota nodded. "I would never have expected you to ask him to come here. No one's ever thought about that before."

It seemed that his sarcasm did not go over well with his audience.

"What the hell are you talking about?" He didn't need to look at Tokitoh to know how confused he was. Good. It's easier if one of them acts surprised.

The man's frown deepened. "You seem very ill-prepared for someone who knew what was coming."

"Who said I came unprepared?" Kubota's hand fell onto his pocket.

"You might find this surprising, Kubota-kun, but I'm not afraid of fruit."

"True. I may have been stretching it here." Kubota shrugged and took out the banana, pointing it at him. He looked down at it mournfully. "Guess this is it then."

He sighed and started to open up the bag on his lap. "Tokitoh, to pay you back, I'll give you a bite of one of mine, okay?" He reached into it, his fingers sliding around the handle and trigger of the gun. At the same moment, he could see the man's hands move in the folds of his coat. Any second now.

"Since you seem to have figured everything out thus far," the man began to lift his hand out of his pocket, "maybe my last move will, at the very least, surprise you." He pointed the gun at Tokitoh. "There is really only one way to hunt you." He smiled, his finger twitching at the trigger. "Is that not right, Kubota-kun?"

He lifted the bag, his finger pulling back, and with a click, realization hit him, too late.

He turned and threw himself onto Tokitoh, covering him.

_It is the most important…and the most dangerous…_

The world around them fell into a chaos of bangs and shots, but all he could think about was the body beneath him and his hand on the gun, the safety still locked on.

------

_"Tell me, if you like him so much, why did you offer him as a choice to me"_

_"Because he amuses me."_

_"Is that why you wish to come along? To be amused?"_

_"…You could say that."_

Sanada smiled and shook his head. He had to hand it to the kid. No matter what he did, he had style. The fireworks were definitely a nice touch.

The other shoppers that had been walking around the area all turned and looked up at the temple where sparks still could be seen flying in the air. No one seemed to notice the two boys getting up from the steps, or the man kneeling down on the ground next to them.

They would notice in a few seconds, once all the noise died down. He slipped his gun back into his pocket.

He had hoped that he wouldn't have to do this job, but sometimes, there were more important things than being amused.

And if anyone was going to decide how this game ended, it would be him.

------

"Are you okay?"

"Yeah, what the hell was that? Holy shit, what's wrong with that guy?"

"Nothing we need to worry about now." Kubota pulled Tokitoh up to standing. "Why don't we not waste Kou-san's little show and get out of here."

Tokitoh looked like he wanted to say something, maybe to disagree, but he closed his mouth and turned. "You are so buying dinner tonight!"

"Okay-okay." He inwardly thanked him for not asking what all this meant.

"And you're so explaining all this shit later too!"

He sighed. He'd thought too soon. As they started to move away, a voice called out to them from behind. They turned to see Kou walking down the steps. He smiled at them, and showed off his blackened fingers before stuffing them into the sleeves of his robe.

"Will you do me the honor of escorting me back to my shop?" He bowed.

Kubota ducked his head in return. "It is the very least we can do."

They walked in silence, the afternoon returning to its earlier calm. Kubota reached out and took Tokitoh's hand, and for once, he didn't pull back. Instead, he left his hand there, his fingers gripping back.

"It seems my prayers were answered."

Kubota turned to look down at Kou. "Prayers?"

"Yes. You should probably go back sometime and thank Kuan Yu for his protection."

Kubota scratched his head as they walked up to the steps to Kou's shop. "Not to belittle, but isn't that shrine for…good commerce?"

"Why, yes." Kou smiled at them as he brought out his keys. "And I can't thank him enough for ensuring that my employees keep working for me." He unlocked the front door. "Do you wish to come in?"

Kubota raised his hand to refuse. "I think we're done for the day. But thank you for everything, Kou-san."

"My pleasure." Kou waved them farewell. "May your journey home be less eventful."

"You can say that again!" Tokitoh turned and walked ahead of him.

They had only walked a few steps away when he heard a phone go off. Tokitoh pulled his cell phone from his pocket and looked at the screen. "Hey, it's from you." He looked over at Kubota.

"May I answer myself?" He held out his hand, and Tokitoh gave him the phone. He hit "receive" and brought it up to his ear. "Hello?"

"Beautiful day, isn't it?"

Same words, different voice. Kubota frowned. "Maybe for the flowers, it is."

"Very true." Sanada answered. "Before you leave, you may wish to look down by the doorway. I left you a little something."

Kubota turned back to the door and saw that nestled by the trashcan, there lay a small brown bag. He picked it up and looked inside. "Very kind of you to give me back my wallet."

"I know how much the police hate those who ride the trains without paying."

"And I know how much you worry about the police." He shook the bag. "I seem to be missing a few other things."

"You have already replaced one of them, haven't you?"

"True." He could feel the gun weighing down his pocket. "There is the matter of my phone."

"I know nothing of this 'phone' you speak of." Sanada's voice seemed almost airy in its humor.

"That's too bad. I had to send in a lot of box-tops to get that Seven Stars phone strap."

There was a pause on the other end, and then, "You almost missed it today, Kubota-kun."

"Did I?" Tokitoh was giving him that "Who the hell is that?" look. He waved at him to be quiet.

"I suppose it is too much to hear thank you."

"Did I not say thank you for the wallet? My apologies."

"I saved your life today."

"But today wasn't really about me, was it? Today was about you making your job more interesting. I think we both know who was supposed to die today."

He heard a soft chuckle. "Perhaps," Sanada conceded. "But you were indeed successful. Today was very interesting."

"…Thank you,"

"Maybe next time we can have a more intimate game. Leave the weapons at home."

"Sorry, but you can't hunt what's already been caught." He clicked off the phone and held it in his hand for a moment until he saw his name disappear off the screen.

"What the hell was that about?" Tokitoh reached to take back his phone, but Kubota closed his fingers around it.

"I think it's time," he walked over to the trash can, "to get us new phones." He dropped it in the can and closed the lid. He turned to see Tokitoh looking back at him, his expression still confused.

Kubota took his hand and squeezed. "Don't I owe you some nice dinner or something?"

That brightened him up. "You bet your ass you do!"

They walked along, the rain just a few drops here and there. As they neared the station, he couldn't help but think back to something said earlier, before this game even started. Out of everything, it held the most truth.

"…It is the most dangerous."

"Huh?"

"Ah, nothing."

He squeezed Tokitoh's hand again and felt the gentle pressure returned back. With the two weights he carried, the gun in his pocket and the grip on his hand, it was easy for him to agree.


End file.
